Arts Minister John Day pledges no public libraries will close on his watch after it emerged some could be under threat because of Government demands for the State Library of Western Australia to cut costs.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott rejects suggestions that sending another 300 troops to Iraq amounts to "mission creep" and does not rule out future increases in Australia's contribution to the fight against Islamic State.

The Government's small recovery in the polls could come down to its handling of national security, but if Tony Abbott personally wants voter approval he'll need to appeal to more than just the Coalition base.

The decision to abandon the Medicare co-payment is another step back towards Square One, from which the Government hopes, on its second attempt at a budget, to build an argument that will help Australians forget about its first.